Kara Thrace, Warrior Painter

Does the name Kara Thrace have any significant meaning? It might if you’re interested in ancient Greek history (as apparently the BSG writers are).

Thrace is an area in Eastern Europe that spreads across parts of Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Ancient Thrace, settled around 500 B.C.,also included parts of modern Serbia and Macedonia. The indegenous Thracians were considered barbaric by the culturally refined Greeks, yet they were known for their music and poetry. Thracians divided themselves into tribes and were known as formidable warriors with a particular melee style of fighting involving a pattern of attack and retreat. Though ruled throughout history by Greeks, Macedonians (originally from Greek tribes), Persians, and Turks, ancient Greek culture had an important influence on the development of Thracian culture.

What does all this mean? Well, first, it’s another cool connection between ancient Greece and a Battlestar character (see the post on Helo’s “gentlemanly” name) that ties in with the Greek mythology that is central to the show. It also may indicate that the writers wanted Starbuck to reflect the image of the ancient Thracians – fiercewarriors and fighters(we’ve seen her in combat, in a Viper, a Cylon raider, and the Blackbird, and throwing punches over a game of poker) as well as refined artists (remember all of Starbuck’s paintings in her apartment back on Caprica?) and poets (in the episode “Final Cut,” Starbuck recites Caprican poetry from memory).

I think the main difference here between Kara Thrace and the ancient Thracians is that the Thracians were polygamists who believed women existed to serve and please men. Somehow I suspect that’s where the connection ends for Starbuck.